menu icon
Book your open day visit nowClick to book open day
PGCE Secondary - English

Different course options

Study mode

Full time

Duration

1 year

Start date

SEP-24

Key information
DATA SOURCE : IDP Connect

Qualification type

PGCE - Postgraduate Certificate of Education

Subject areas

English Language Teaching (General)

Course type

Taught

Course Summary

Course Summary

The PGCE Secondary is the first phase of a career-long process of personal and professional development, which will equip you to become a secondary school teacher. The PGCE Secondary is a course in Initial Teacher Training which is accredited by the DfE, the successful completion of which will accord you Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Our course has recently been inspected by Ofsted which resulted in an “Outstanding” grading for all aspects of our provision.

Students who have successfully completed the PGCE at Durham in the previous academic year have the option to use 90 credits they have accredited towards a part time MA Education. These students only need to do the core modules, Education Enquiry and the Dissertation over 2 years, to complete the programme.

Subject pedagogy is explored in curriculum groups, examining techniques for making each subject accessible and stimulating in a classroom environment.

Our popular English course aims to:

provide you with the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills needed to become an effective and innovative teacher of English
extend your awareness of the range and scope of English as a subject in schools today
provide opportunities for you to experience and explore a variety of approaches to teaching the subject
allow you to develop an appreciation of your own strengths and weaknesses

Over the course, you will be based in one of our Partnership schools where you will have the opportunity to develop your skills in a teaching background. The school-based activities involve structured classroom observations, planning and research projects and practical teaching - the latter starting by teaching individual pupils, eventually leading through group work to full classroom teaching.

Course Learning and Teaching

The English sessions are designed to enable you to engage in activities which will open up the subject from the viewpoints of both teacher and learner. You will be given opportunities to reflect critically upon current classroom practice and to draw on observation, teaching and research undertaken in schools. Sessions will usually include work on:

The English teacher, The National Curriculum and literacy strategy
Planning lessons and schemes of work
Approaches to reading
Writing and responding
Assessment in English
Teaching Poetry
Speaking and listening
Classroom management and English teaching
English at key stage 4
Drama in the English Curriculum
Special Needs
Shakespeare in Schools
English post 16
Media Studies

Sessions will embrace a number of themes which do not appear under separate headings: mixed ability classes, drafting, managing group work, IT, knowledge about language, gender and multicultural issues. You will be expected to work in a variety of ways including group-work, individual writing, seminars and student-led discussions. Career opportunities in education are wide and include classroom teaching, educational leadership and management, administration and policy development.

Modules

The Self-directed Study module draws on students? experience during weekly visits to schools and their own small scale action research, and links this to critical engagement with published educational research.

Tuition fees

UK fees
Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

£9,250

International fees
Course fees for EU and international students

For this course (per year)

£23,500

Entry requirements

Students need to have: UK 2:2 honours degree of which approximately 50% is comprised of English or a similar subject. If your degree is from an overseas institution you must apply for a Statement of Comparability from NARIC; Significant and relevant subject knowledge and recent experience of the science teaching environment. This should be demonstrated at both application and interview; A demonstrable an interest and involvement in the lives and development of young people; GCSE English and Mathematics at Grade C or above (or equivalent) which must be achieved at the time of application. If your equivalent qualifications are from an overseas institution, you must apply for a Statement of Comparability from NARIC; Applicants with non-standard qualifications, for example, access routes into higher education are welcome to apply; Applications from mature applicants pursuing a career change; Pass the QTS Skills Tests by 1st August prior to the beginning of the programme; Must have undertaken, or intend to undertake, at least ten days of work experience in a UK mainstream school environment within the last three years. This must be completed before 1st August in the year of entry; Must have completed the 10 day Primary School Experience in a UK Primary School (or a Primary School which follows the English National Curriculum) prior to commencing the University course in mid-September. Offer holders will arrange this for themselves in their own local area.